"It's one of those things, from an organizational standpoint, you have a guy that has attracted a lot of interest from other ballclubs, and you look at the trading deadline looming," manager Bo Porter said. "It just made more sense to not risk injury at this juncture of the conversation, because the conversations have gotten a little deeper."

With the deadline of Wednesday at 4 p.m. drawing closer, it was possible Norris had pitched his last game for Houston.

"I don't know. I don't want to put any numbers on it," Norris said. "Everybody's speculating, and where I could go, stuff like that. But it's really out of my hands. It's for the GMs and the front offices to decide. I just want to play baseball, for wherever I am. And right now I'm still an Astro, and that's where my focus is."

And if he isn't dealt?

"If he doesn't get traded, yes, he's available to pitch (Wednesday) because the trading deadline would have passed by 7 o'clock tomorrow night," Porter said.

Norris is 6-9 with a 3.93 ERA in 21 starts with Houston. His six wins are tops on the club and his $3 million salary is the highest on the rebuilding Astros, a major league-worst 35-69 at the start of the day.

"I guess I was a little surprised by it, but I understand the reason behind it," Norris said. "I've been talking to my agent about it, and he understands why as well. So you have to go with it. There's nothing I can do. I can't complain about it."

Norris, who started opening day for the Astros, is one of the team's biggest stars. That's why he's the topic of trade talk around the league.

"It's a credit to Bud Norris," Porter said. "When multiple teams are after your services, it speaks volumes to what it is you've done in the game of baseball and what other people think about you."

"Harrell's pretty good. He's been starting for them all year," Showalter said. "Does it make (Norris) more valuable by pulling him out, knowing you can start him the day you get him? Are you getting better players back because he's ready to pitch right then? I don't know. That's their business."